Geranium plant named &#39;free arcred&#39;

ABSTRACT

A  geranium  cultivar particularly distinguished by dark green foliage with light zonation, pink flower color, and semi-double flowers on large umbels, fast rooting and exhibits vigorous growth.

GENUS AND SPECIES

Pelargonium peltatum

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘Free Arcred’

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of geranium, botanically known as Pelargonium peltatum, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Free Arcred’. The new cultivar is selected from a cross of 5651-2 a unpatented proprietary line X 5146-1 a unpatented proprietary line.

‘Free Arcred’ is a product of a planned breeding program intended to create new geranium cultivars with bi-colored dark red and white, semi-double flower form, green foliage, vigorous growth and superior cutting productivity.

The new cultivar was created in 2001 in Gilroy, Calif. and has been repeatedly asexually reproduced by cuttings in Gilroy, Calif., Guatemala and Kenya over a two-year period. It has also been trialed at Gilroy, Calif., Litchfield, Mich. and Andijk, The Netherlands. It has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive propagations; and this novelty is firmly fixed.

DESCRIPTION OF PHOTOGRAPH

This new geranium plant is illustrated by the accompanying photograph which shows blooms, buds, and foliage of the plant in full color, the colors shown being as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

The photograph shows an overall plant habit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘Free Arcred’. The data which defines these characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out in Gilroy, Calif. The plant history was taken on 6 month old plants blossomed in one-gallon pots in the fall/winter season, in poly-covered greenhouse under natural light in a greenhouse and color readings were taken in the greenhouse in Gilroy, Calif. under natural light. Plants had been cut back numerous times prior to data readings taken. Color references are primarily to the RHS Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (RHS). Texture description details were observed under a dissecting microscope.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

-   Classification:     -   -   Botanical.—Pelargonium peltatum.         -   Commercial.—Ivy Geranium. -   Form: Semi upright and decumbent. -   Growth and branching habit: Good vigorous habit, well branched -   Height: From soil level to top of plant (excluding blooms) 20-25 cm;     from soil level to top of umbels 25-30 cm. -   Width: 40-50 cm if lateral branches are outstretched the width is     approximately 50-70 cm. -   Time to produce a finished flowering plant: 12-14 weeks for 4-6 inch     pots. -   Outdoor plant performance: Good weather tolerance, used in hanging     baskets, patio or mixed containers. -   Time to initiate roots: 12-28 days. -   Root description: White, slightly pubescent, fibrous yet coarse.

THE LEAVES

-   Color:     -   -   Upper side.—Closest to RHS 137B (green).         -   Underside.—Closest to RHS 138A (green). -   Length: Full expanded leaves, 6.7-7.5 cm. -   Width: Full expanded leaves 7.5-8.7 cm. -   Apex description: Mucronulate. -   Base description: Cordate. -   Shape: Reniform. -   Margin: Entire—Ciliate. -   Texture: Hirsute. -   Zonation color: None. -   Zonation diameter: n/a. -   Venation type: Palmate. -   Venation color: Closest to RHS 144B (yellow-green). -   Petiole color: RHS 137B (green). -   Petiole length: 4.0-6.0 cm. -   Petiole diameter: 0.2 cm. -   Petiole texture: Hirsute.

THE STEM

-   Color: Closest to RHS 138A (green). -   Length: 30.0-40.0 cm. -   Internodes length: 3.0-5.0 cm. -   Texture: Hirsute.

THE BUD

-   Diameter: 0.6-0.8 cm. -   Length: 1.2-1.4 cm. -   Shape: Elliptic-Oval. -   Color when sepals first divide: RHS 11D (yellow) base color with RHS     45C (red) speckling and RHS 45A (red) margins.

THE INFLORESCENCE

-   Peduncle color: RHS 144A (yellow-green) but a little darker. -   Peduncle length: 9.0-17.0 cm. -   Peduncle diameter: 2.5-3.0 cm. -   Peduncle texture: Hirsute. -   Pedicel color: RHS 144A (yellow-green). -   Pedicle length: 1.6-1.8 cm. -   Pedicel diameter: 0.15 cm. -   Pedicel texture: Hirsute, glandular hairs and pilose.

THE FLOWER

-   Type: An umbel composed of approximately 9-16 flowers. -   Blooming habit: Continuous blooming throughout the growing season.     Good floriferousness. -   Umbel diameter: 8.0-8.5 cm. -   Umbek depth (height): 4.0-4.5 cm. -   Floret form: Polypetalous; 13-15 cm mostly imbricate petals, 4-7     petaloids. -   Upper petal/petaloid color (uppersurface): Base color of RHS N155B     (white) but whiter, wide margin of between RHS 46A and B (red) with     minute spots of RHS N57B (red-purple) and RHS 54B (red) of various     intensities, often giving the appearance of verical striations;     upper 2-3 petals, macule of RHS 67B (red-purple), RHS 70A     (red-purple) and RHS 71A (red-purple); Undersurface, RHS N155B     (white) but whiter; narrow margin of RHS 46C (red); less amount of     spotting of RHS N57B (red-purple). -   Color change with age: Colors do not change with age but may change     with temperature and lighting (culture/growing conditions). -   Floret diameter: 5.0-6.0 cm. -   Petal shape: Spathulate. -   Petal apex shape: Rounded. -   Petal base shape: Acuminate. -   Petal margin: Entire. -   Petal texture: Papillose. -   Flower persistence: An open flower will hold its petals until the     flower begins to dehisce or approximately 7-10 days. -   Fragrance: No. -   Number of sepals: Five, 1 larger than the other, fused at base. -   Sepal color: RHS 143B and C (green). -   Sepal length: 1.0-1.2 cm. -   Sepal width: 0.3-0.35 cm. -   Sepal shape: Linear/Lanceolate. -   Sepal apex shape: Apiculate. -   Sepal texture: Hirsute, glandular hairs and pilose.

THE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Stamens: 6-8, sometimes fused to petaloids. -   Filament color: RHS N155B(white) with slight RHS 54B (red) vertical     striations. -   Pollen color: RHS N170A (greyed-orange). -   Pistil: 1. -   Stigma color: RHS 185D (greyed-purple). -   Style color: RHS 147D (yellow-green). -   Fruit set: Not observed.

DISEASE AND INSECT RESISTANCE

Less susceptibility to Oedema.

COMPARISON WITH KNOWN CULTIVARS

‘Free Arcred’ has bicolored dark red and white flowers. Whereas ‘Freesytle Dark Red’ has uniform colored dark red flowers. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of geranium as shown and described herein. 